Me:  Prodigal, that looks like a delicious, wonderful supper you are having!

 

Prodigal:  Trust me, it is wonderful!  Since I am busy enjoying this food, why don’t you share a story.

 

Well today I wanted to share from someone who is not well known and not that published.  It is a story from Jennifer Van Allen from her life of One Day at a Time.

 

Jennifer woke up on Sunday morning, feeling like she had no sleep.  She had a cough that had been bothering her and really was keeping her up at night.  Plus someone really needed to share some important emotions that she loves a lot and so she stayed up really late just letting that person know that she loves them.  Jennifer was of course scheduled to help take care of three years old during church service and then help out with four year old during the bible study time after church.  As she was getting ready, the cough seemed to increase.  She went to church and approached April who runs the children’s program and April wonderfully said that she would find others to cover.  So what did Jennifer do next?  She went to the church service that she was scheduled to miss that day.

Jennifer listened to the sermon that was prepared by her pastor Justin.  There was a lot in the sermon that day that seemed to speak to her heart.  Justin then spoke one short phrase.  As soon as Jennifer heard it, it seemed to just speak to her spirit.  Then Justin repeated it again.  Now hours later this phrase will not leave Jennifer’s spirit.  It seems God is trying to give Jennifer direction and it starts with this phrase FAITH IN LOVE.

See unknown to most.  God has already been working in Jennifer’s heart for about a month or so.  This phrase seemed to demand even further work on her heart from what God had already been exposing.  So then we take another turn in this story because it really started over the past couple of  years.

Jennifer had been hurt by a group of people and one person especially.  So what did Jennifer do.  She really prayed and looked for God to guide her with these hurts and relationships.

God said forgive……Jennifer forgave…over and over again.

God said trust …..Jennifer trusted

God said give grace….Jennifer gave grace over and over again.

God said love……Jennifer loved over and over again.

So what is God saying with Faith in LOVE?

See slowly what had happened is God was working on small parts inside Jennifer that she needed to learn for her character to grow in Christ in order for her to move in the next season of her life.  Now is time for the last part and that is FAITH In LOVE.

See Jennifer is scared.  She trusts God and loves God.  This means though that she has to have FAITH and not FEAR in LOVE.  Right now Jennifer is AFRAID IN LOVE.

Jennifer has been loving at a distance.  Jennifer has been loving with an escape plan.  Jennifer has been loving with trying to protect herself and not get too close.    Jennifer has been remaining emotionally distant to protect herself.  You can’t protect yourself and have faith at the same time.  One will always replace the other.  So FAITH in LOVE.  It means not being afraid and protecting yourself but really opening yourself to give love and receive it.  Now God has given Jennifer the direction.  Jennifer has to be obedient in following God’s plan.  So God once again is directing Jennifer  to jump into this risky business that God seems to be sending her into.  Is Jennifer willing to let the past be the past and move forward with grace with everything. Yes she is!

Does Jennifer know how it will all work out.  Of course she doesn’t.  Does she have a plan.  Of course she doesn’t.  But Jennifer knows the one who does have the Plan!  Jennifer plans to be checking in with Him regularly so He can tell her the direction to go.

So Does God care for you and will HE keep pursuing you until you learn HIS TRUTHS and HIS LOVE.  You bet He will!  He might even involve a bunch of people in your story, who were once strangers,  just so you can learn these truths.  Imagine that…

 

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

 

Jennifer Van Allen

 

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org